


Just drive

by somerandomperson



Series: Words for Inktober [12]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Minor Angst, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 01:57:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16399214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somerandomperson/pseuds/somerandomperson
Summary: Nothing in Derek's life was certain, but if he just kept moving, kept driving he could keep going.





	Just drive

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 12 - Whale  
> at this rate it'll be December before I get everything posted. I was catching up then I had a 3 day weekend in Paris ... not sorry.
> 
> I also had a problem thinking of something for this prompt, which is why I was keen to keep trying with this challenge, to keep writing even when it's hard and I have no idea what I am doing.

Derek likes to drive. Just to get into the car and move. It's not the destination that counts it just act of moving, travelling. He always liked travelling. When he was a kid his parents would pack them all up in the car and take off to go camping. They were the best times. Singing along to the radio, eating homemade sandwiches and getting crumbs everywhere. Rolling down the window and watching the countryside roll past as the wind tugged his hair back and forth.

Days like this make him want to try and capture that feeling again. Standing out looking at where his house used to be. No pack left, no pack to be a part of; Derek felt the isolation palpably.

He wasn't sure why he was back here. Cora was settled down in South America, happy and their relationship was getting stronger. But he didn't belong there. He didn't belong back in New York. That was another life with Laura, one he couldn't go back to.

He had just come back from helping Chris Argent with an omega problem on the east coast and was wondering what he should do next. He was just glad that he freelanced so that allowed him to move around. Or as Cora said enabled him not to commit to anything. He knew she had a point but nothing seemed to stick, nothing felt like home, nothing seemed worth staying around for so he kept moving.

There was nothing left of the house. Just grass and mounds of earth that grass and plants were slowly taking over. He slowly made his way out of the preserve to where he parked. He got in the car and headed out of town. He slowed as he drove passed the Sheriff's station. He could see Stiles’ dad walking out to his cruiser. Derek speed up and headed towards the highway. He could see John step out from behind the cruiser and watch him drive away in his rear view mirror. He felt a little guilty not to stop and speak, after all he did promise Stiles he would keep an eye on his dad while he was at Berkeley but he just needed to move on today towards something, anything.

Derek put on his sunglasses, wound down the windows and turned on the radio.

There was hardly anyone on the road. Just him and his car racing through the trees. Music playing and the wind in his hair.

Derek felt the corners of his mouth turn up. It always made him feel better to be moving. To be doing something. He knew he couldn't do this forever but for now it would do.

He kept driving until he saw a sign for the coastal road and he swung towards it, suddenly feeling a yearning to see the ocean.

He smelt the ocean before he saw it, the sharp salt in the air. A few minutes later a turn in the road revealed the coast line. The road wound around the edge of the cliffs and Derek was happy to go wherever the road took him.

Half an hour later Derek spotted a lay-by with a little cafe further towards the beach. The whole place was empty so Derek pulled in.

After getting a coffee from the cafe he walked back to his car and sat on the hood. He watched the gentle roll of the tide, the sounds of the waves hitting the shore. He took a couple of deep breaths, letting the sharp air fill his lungs.

If he shut his eyes he could imagine his family here, his younger siblings racing across the beach, Laura taking photos, his mother making sandwiches and his dad sat on the hood with him. 

It never stopped hurting to think he could never have that again. And he would give anything to have that back again. To go on one more long road trip with his family. He felt it as an ache in his chest. A visceral symptom of loss. He was used to it by now. It would always hurt but he was beginning to be able to smile about it again. To feel not just the loss but to remember the joy, the happiness of those memories.

He took out his phone and took a picture to send to Cora. All of a sudden a pod of whales breached out in the ocean. He stood for a few minutes before taking a couple more photos.

He put his phone back in his pocket and sat back on the hood holding his coffee watching the whales frolic.

Once the whales continued moving on Derek sent a couple of the pictures to Cora. He was looking at his whatsapp and another frequent contact was Stiles. On a whim Derek sent Stiles the photos as well.

A few minutes later as Derek was preparing to drive off he could feel his phone vibrating.

Pulling it out he saw a series of messages from Stiles. The first three were all just emoticons and Derek felt his eyes roll.  
Scrolling past the messages of emoticons Derek found Stiles' series of legible messages "hey there traveler! relaxing after a week spent with argent?"  
"amazing photos! where are you?"  
"where next?"  
"anywhere in particular?"

Derek stared down at the app and saw the three dots moving as Stiles typed. 

Derek felt himself smiling despite himself. He put the car in gear and turned the car south towards Berkeley and Stiles.


End file.
